Effects of feeding pelleted diets without or with distillers dried grains with solubles on fresh belly characteristics, fat quality, and commercial bacon slicing yields of finishing pigs

Abstract

One hundred ninety-two pigs were blocked by age and stratified by initial BW (25.7 ± 2.3 kg) into pens (2 barrows and 2 gilts/pen), and within blocks, pens were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with main effects of diet form (meal vs. pelleted) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) inclusion (0% vs. 30%). Pigs were slaughtered after a 91-d feeding trial, and carcasses were fabricated after a 24-h chilling period. Belly dimensions and flop distance were measured, and an adipose tissue sample from each belly was collected for fatty acid analysis. Bacon was manufactured at a commercial processing facility before being returned to the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory for further evaluation. Although bellies from pigs fed pelleted diets were 5.3% heavier ( < 0.01) than bellies from meal-fed pigs, belly weight as a percentage of chilled side weight ( = 0.55) and fresh belly dimensions ( ≥ 0.11) were not affected by diet form. Slab bacon weight and cooked yield were greater ( ≤ 0.01) for bellies from pellet-fed than meal-fed pigs. Despite pellet-fed pigs having a 3.1-unit greater iodine value (IV) than meal-fed pigs, there was no effect ( ≥ 0.16) of diet form on commercial bacon slicing yields. Bacon slabs from pellet-fed pigs produced more ( < 0.01) total bacon slices, but 3.1% fewer ( < 0.01) slices per kilogram than slabs from meal fed pigs. Inclusion of 30% DDGS reduced belly thickness ( < 0.001), flop distance ( < 0.001), and initial belly weight ( = 0.04) by 0.32 cm, 4.97 cm, and 2.85, respectively, and increased ( < 0.001) belly fat IV by 7.1 units compared with bellies from pigs fed 0% DDGS. Feeding 0% DDGS produced more ( < 0.01) total bacon slices than feeding 30% DDGS. Distillers dried grains with solubles inclusion had no effect on slice yields ( ≥ 0.14) or slices per kilogram ( = 0.08). Overall, bellies from pellet-fed pigs were heavier and had greater IV but did not differ in commercial slicing yields from meal-fed pigs. Feeding pigs 30% DDGS produced thinner, softer bellies with greater IV, but slicing yields were not different from bellies of pigs fed 0% DDGS. Thus, swine producers can feed pelleted diets, without or with 30% DDGS, without negatively affecting commercial bacon slicing yield.

Influence of feeding thermally peroxidized soybean oil to finishing barrows on processing characteristics and shelf life of commercially manufactured bacon1

“…This appears to indicate that although increased IV reduces slicing yield, it may also result in more inconsistent slicing. This hypothesis was previously suggested by the study by Overholt et al (2016) who reported that the number of slices per kilogram tended to deviate from targeted slice counts dictated by slicing machine settings when slicing bacon with greater IV.…”

“…After chilling, carcasses were fabricated according to North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP, 2010) specifications for #408 bellies. Fresh bellies were weighed, and length, width, depth, and flop distance measures were obtained using the methods described by Overholt et al (2016). Adipose tissue cores, measuring 2.54 cm in diameter and consisting of all 3 adipose layers, were collected from the anterior end along the dorsal edge of each belly.…”

“…After arriving at the University of Illinois, bellies were removed from boxes, and sliced bacon slabs were weighed to calculate sliced yield from initial weight and cooked weight: Sliced bacon slabs were then divided into 5 zones (A, B, C, D, and E) with approximately equal number of slices per zone, in an anterior to posterior order, and a single slice from the center of each zone was collected (Overholt et al, 2016). These 5 slices were subsequently homogenized analyzed for moisture and extractable lipid content using the oven-drying and chloroform:methanol solvent extraction method described by Novakofski et al (1989).…”

Effect of Salt Inclusion Level on Commercial Bacon Processing and Slicing Yields

“…Kyle et al (2014) reported a ~3 unit increase in iodine value and a ~19 cm decrease in flop distance between barrows and boars, which translated to a ~4% decrease in cooked slice yield. However, Tavárez et al (2014) and Overholt et al (2016b) reported no differences in cooked slice yield in pigs fed 0 and 30% dried distillers grains with solubles regardless of a 7 to 8 unit difference in iodine value. One possible explanation for an increase in cooked slice yield in 1.8 compared with 1.2% bacon slabs is the amount of slices that were removed from the 1.2 vs the 1.8% bacon slabs.…”

“…Fresh adipose tissue samples were prepared using the procedure described by Overholt et al (2016b). Fat samples were submerged in liquid N 2 until completely frozen and then pulverized and homogenized in a blender (Waring Products, Torrington, CT) until completely powdered.…”